Mandatory Professional Liability Insurance for Notaries, Experts, and Translators Under New UAE Laws
In a significant move aimed at enhancing the legal landscape, the UAE has introduced new Ministerial Decisions that provide greater clarity and detail regarding professional indemnity insurance for experts, translators, and private notaries. These decisions, related to Federal Decree-Law No. 20/2022, 21/2022, and 22/2022, and their Implementing Regulations contained in Cabinet Decision No. 16/2024, 17/2024, and 18/2024 respectively, are expected to impact practices in the UAE for the better, encouraging risk management measures to reduce claims and insurance premiums.
The new regulations mandate that these professionals obtain professional indemnity insurance with a minimum coverage term of three years, reflecting the term of registration for these professionals on the relevant UAE roll or register. The required insurance coverage is intended to provide a greater level of protection for affected clients and claimants.
Insurers must ensure their policy products meet specific requirements outlined in the Ministerial Decisions, such as minimum coverage limits and non-revocable terms. Coverage is provided for specific types of cases, including loss, damage, and destruction of documents, negligence, breach of duty, dishonesty, fraud, deception, disclosure of information, libel, defamation, and any other compensation adjudged for professional and technical errors.
While the exact figures and conditions for the insurance policies required for these professionals in UAE court proceedings, as outlined in Ministerial Decisions No. 208/2024, No. 211/2024, and No. 215/2024, are not available at this time, it is known that these decisions typically regulate the insurance coverage and professional liability conditions for such professionals to ensure they are financially protected against claims arising from errors or negligence while performing their duties in legal contexts.
The new requirements include coverage for a range of perils beyond negligent practices, such as defamation, dishonesty, and fraud. This increased coverage is expected to drive increased demand for professional liability insurance products tailored to translators, experts, and notaries.
For those seeking precise details, it is recommended to consult the UAE official legal gazette or governmental websites that publish these ministerial decisions. Alternatively, UAE legal practitioners or insurance providers specialized in professional indemnity for court-related professionals may provide the specific policy requirements.
If further assistance is needed, I can guide you on where to find official UAE ministerial decisions.
In the ongoing development of the UAE's legal landscape, the new Ministerial Decisions mandate specific insurance policies for professionals such as experts, translators, and private notaries. These insurance policies, which are intended to offer greater protection for clients and claimants, must comply with certain requirements set forth in the Decisions, including minimum coverage limits and non-revocable terms. The insurance coverage provided by these policies extends to various types of cases, like loss, damage, and destruction of documents, negligence, breach of duty, dishonesty, fraud, defamation, and other professional errors.
